R. Owen Williams

LEXINGTON, KY.—The Fayette County Coroner’s office has confirmed this morning that a 13-year-old student attending an academic camp at Transylvania University has died. The student lost consciousness while participating in a recreational swim Monday evening. Two lifeguards and an assistant swim coach applied the available automated external defibrillator and performed CPR until emergency medical technicians arrived on the scene. The student was then transported to the University of Kentucky hospital. “In the midst of these tragic circumstances, our hearts go out to this young student’s family and friends, as well as the other students on our campus affected by this incident,” Transylvania President R. Owen Williams said. Williams, who was attending a conference out-of-state, is making arrangements to return to campus this afternoon.  The student was attending a week-long summer camp titled Introduction to Java Programming. That camp, as well as the College Preparation camp held on campus this week, has been canceled. The students have contacted their parents, who are making arrangements to pick up their children. Session 3 swim lessons, scheduled through Wednesday, July 2, have also been canceled, and the university pool in the William T. Young Campus Center will remain closed until further notice. Transylvania staff and administrators will continue to gather information about the incident and will release details as they are available.

Central Kentucky residents looking for an affordable way to continue their educations might find the Transylvania University campus a great place to start. Throughout the academic year, the university’s Creative Intelligence Series offers lectures, art exhibitions, performances, presentations by young academics whose work has had an exceptional influence on their disciplines, and lectures by individuals who have applied their creativity to solving social problems and enriching their communities. All events are free and open to the public. The events offer a broad representation of creative work across a wide variety of disciplines. Local residents can invest an hour at a time once or twice a month and possibly discover a new interest or an opportunity for further research or social action. It’s a simple way to get a feel for the type of education endorsed by Transylvania and other similar colleges: A liberal arts education encourages you to draw connections between disparate fields of study, examine new ideas and concepts, and challenge underlying assumptions. Meg Upchurch, Transylvania professor of psychology and coordinator of the Creative Intelligence Series, explains: “Presenters are asked to talk about the process of their work, not just the products of it. One goal of the series is to help students become aware that creative, engaged problem solving can occur in a variety of disciplines and contexts. The series also seeks to bring diverse viewpoints and activities to campus.” The Creative Intelligence Series had its genesis three

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LEXINGTON, Ky.—The National Science Foundation has awarded $593,869 to Transylvania University to attract and retain science and math students over the next five years. The largest portion of the grant—$520,000—will be applied to scholarships for deserving students from across the U.S. “Prospective students and their families have long recognized Transylvania’s excellence in math and science,” said Brad Goan, vice president for enrollment and dean of admissions. “The STEM Scholars Program builds on that outstanding tradition and provides even more opportunity here for talented and motivated students.” The focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines as part of an interdisciplinary education has recently gained widespread attention as a way to prepare students for a variety of twenty-first century careers. Transylvania professors Eva Csuhai (chemistry), George Kaufman (chemistry), Sarah Bray (biology), and Mike LeVan (mathematics) will manage the program. Application details are not yet in place.  In addition to scholarship opportunities, the grant will fund guest lecturers who can talk to students about careers in science and math and present workshops on such topics as study habits and conducting research. A portion of the money is also designated for summer research to help prepare students for competitive opportunities outside Transylvania. “The main focus of the grant is to give scholarships to bright students who have a serious interest in science and math,” said Csuhai. “We want them to spend less energy worrying about financial issues and more energy on their

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